Cable support



R. H. BALLO'CK, SR

CABLE SUPPORT July 21, 1970 Filed July 10, 1968 INVENTOR. RAL PH H. BAL LOCK, SR.

United States Patent O 3,520,988 CABLE SUPPORT Ralph H. Ballock, Sr., Lake Road H20, Lampe, Mo. 65681 Filed July 10, 1968, Ser. No. 743,784 Int. Cl. H011) 7/28; A44b 2] /00; B65d 85 02 U.S. Cl. 174--135 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for supporting a length of electric cable or cord and for temporarily reducing the overall length thereof whereby tangled excess lengths are eliminated. The device includes a hollow tube having an extension at each end that has laterally extending teeth for engaging the cord.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION My device includes a straight hollow tube open at both ends which is adapted to receive an electric cord which can be folded upon itself, one or more times to reduce the effective length thereof, the opposite ends of the cord extending through opposite ends of the tube.

First and second means are each secured to a corresponding end of the tube and extend outward therefrom. Each means is adapted to detachably hold a corresponding end of the cord in place.

Thus the cord can be placed into or removed from my device easily and quickly and the effective length can be varied as required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of my invention in use;

FIG. 2 is a similar view of my invention per se;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the invention of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view of a folded cord as inserted into my invention; and

FIG. 5 is an end view of the invention of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown a hollow rigid straight tube open at both ends 12 and having a uniform circular cross section.

Each end 12 has extending from a section thereof a thin slightly curved extension strip 14 which extends in the same direction as the axis of the tube, both extensions lying along the same line. Each extension has upwardly inclined parallel spaced apart teeth 16 separated by gaps or spaces 18.

In use an electric cord 20 having a plug 22 at one end and a socket 24 at the other is folded upon itself as many times as necessary and is inserted into the tube, with the portion of the cord adjacent plug 22 extending on opposite surfaces of adjacent teeth of one extension through the gaps therebetween whereby this portion is detachably held in locked position in enlarged bottom portions 18A of these gaps. The portion of the cord adjacent socket 24 is held by the other extension in like manner.

The tube and extensions can be integral and formed for example of molded plastic or other materials.

While I have described my invention with particular reference to the drawings, my protection is to be limited only by the terms of the claims which follow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A device for eliminating tangled electric cords and effectively reducing the length thereof when in use while permitting lengthening thereof when desired, said device comprising a hollow tube open at both ends and adapted to receive an electric cord which can be folded upon itself several times inside the tube with opposite ends of the cord extending out of opposite ends of the tube;

first and second means integral with said tube, each disposed at a corresponding end of the tube and extending outward therefrom in the same direction as the axis of the tube;

each said means being in the form of a strip slightly curved laterally, each said means including a plurality of spaced apart generally L-shaped gaps along a longitudinal edge forming spaced apart teeth, each cord end adapted to detachably engage the gaps between adjacent teeth in the corresponding means and extending around said teeth on opposite surfaces of adjacent teeth.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tube is rigid and straight.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 902,406 10/ 1908 Huber.

947,111 1/1910 Lorentz 24-129 1,383,665 7/1921 Rohan. 2,418,885 4/ 1947 Houston. 2,533,341 12/ 1950 Alfano. 2,823,610 2/1958 Frazer. 3,068,316 12/1962 Witt 174-135 3,310,623 3/1967 Vaughan '206-46 BERNARD A. GELAK, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

